


The Kid

by Xazz



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Friendship, Gen, Platonic Hurt/Comfort, mom friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29035833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xazz/pseuds/Xazz
Summary: Eurydice isn’t pleased with how Zagreus looks when he shows up in her kitchen unannounced. That she doesn’t have a problem with. It’s that she’s never seen the Prince this close to death before.So she takes matters into her own hands.
Relationships: Zagreus & Eurydice
Comments: 4
Kudos: 103





	The Kid

**Author's Note:**

> I bought Hades 3 days ago and already have like 20 hours logged on it. Someone send help.

When Zagreus stepped off the hellish barge after the harrowing trip down the Phlegethon he was grateful. More than grateful. The stone under his feet was sturdy without the hint of crumbling under his weight, turning into dangerous lava rock.

He could hear Eurydice singing even from down the stairs. It seemed really far away. But he could hear her and smell her cooking even down by the barge. He could feel the pounding of his blood in the soles of his feet and as he walked to the stairs he didn’t just leave behind a burning print but one edged in burnt blood.

His blood.

That last island had been a misery. He didn’t want to dwell on it. All he knew was he was lucky to have survived with what life he did have. Styx had wanted to take him but he was stubborn thing. He wasn’t ready to go back. It felt like he’d just left. He wouldn’t be able to take his father’s mocking harumph as he walked across the House to make sure Dusa hadn’t tied herself into a knot again, or seek some advice from Achilles, or just pet his damn dog.

He didn’t remember it taking so long to walk up the stairs to Eurydice’s little home in the middle of Asphodel. Must have been a while since he’d been this hurt this deep into Asphodel.

Eurydice had told him to take the front door now. Stop just appearing in her kitchen from the side. He tried to do that unless he was in a rush. Today he wasn’t sure he could make it around the other side of the little cottage to use the front door. Her window was open and he could see up into her kitchen where she was making more food than she could eat alone. He didn’t know what she did with it all. Wait for him to come eat it?

For a moment he was incorporeal his blood slick feet almost slipping on what might have been wine that left a haze behind him. Outside of the house. Then he was solid again, inside Eurydice’s kitchen.

If she was startled she didn’t show it. “Hello Your Royal Majesty,” she said, cheerful as ever.

“Greetings, Eurydice.”

She put her hand on her hip, the implements on her hip purse clattering. “You don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine,” he said. “Nothing a little of your good cooking won’t fix,” and he hoped his smile to reassure her didn’t look too forced.

“Hmm, yeah that usually does the trick with you,” she smiled back. Good. “Well have a seat, I was just about to have some myself. What you in the mood for?”

Zagreus tried to think about who’d blessed him with boons on this trial. There was Dionysus, maybe one of his uncles, he couldn’t remember which, Hermes, maybe? He couldn’t remember. The pounding of his blood in his feet had moved to his head. “Whatever’s ready to come off first,” he said graciously and sat at Eurydice’s little table crammed into the corner of the kitchen so she had all the room for cooking. Maybe she didn’t eat the food.

“If you’re sure,” she said.

“Whatever you prepare I’m certain will be perfect,” he said.

“Alright,” and she turned away from him. She hummed to herself as she made up a bowl of something for Zagreus. Zagreus was just trying to keep from slumping off his chair. “Here we go. A specialty,” she said brightly and put a large bowl of what looked like Pom Porridge in front of him. It looked a little different this time but he didn’t ask about it.

“Thank you, Eurydice. Your generosity knows no bounds,” he said humbly.

She just laughed. “Of course, your Royal Majesty. You just enjoy. I’m going to pack everything up here.”

“Of course, don’t let me keep you.” She smiled at him and walked away.

Zagreus dug in. It tasted... different. Not bad. Just different. It had been a while since Zagreus had given Eurydice any nectar. Maybe she was out. He made a mental note to speak with the broker about procuring some more nectar. He’d eaten half the bowl by then and while he did feel it tickling the runes drawn onto his right arm from the boons bestowed upon him he also felt very tired all the sudden. Like Hypnos casting sleep on the House level of grogginess.

Probably had to do with the blood he’d lost. Just had to find a centaur heart and he’d be fine. Maybe Charon had a gyro he’d fished out of the Styx he was willing to part with.

He didn’t notice Eurydice watching him as he finished off the Porridge, no longer pretending to be cleaning her kitchen. He made to get up. “Thank you for the lovely meal, Eurydice. It was wonderful as always.”

“Glad to hear it,” she said and didn’t look surprised when Zagreus managed to take one step and fell to his knees. She came over. “You’ll thank me again later,” she said, smiling. That was the last thing he remembered.

—

Zagreus awoke on an unfamiliar lounge covered in a strange, cool, blanket. It must have been made here in Asphodel because his feet didn’t immediatly burn through it. He looked around and then raised his right arm. He let out a soft sigh of relief. The runes were still clear on his skin.

He sat up and only then did he realize he could hear Eurydice singing. He was still at Eurydice’s?

Then he remembered what had happened.

He dashed into the kitchen, skidding on the tile, leaving a black char mark. “Oh, you’re awake your Majesty,” Eurydice beamed at him.

“What was in that Porridge?” Zagreus demanded. For a second he sounded like his father and that snuffed out most of his anger.

“Just something I bought off Charon,” she told him.

“Which was?”

“I think convinced Nyx to sell him some of Hynos’ sleeping draught to the shades here in Asphodel. You looked like you needed it more than they did,” she just said nicely. “You looked like Thanatos had personally tried to have a go at you.”

Well that wouldn’t have been wrong. But usually their disagreements didn’t end with Zagreus almost falling face first into the Styx.

“Feeling better?” Eurydice asked, distracting him.

“Huh... oh. Yes. I suppose I do feel better,” he patted himself down, pulled out his hungry sword to make sure it was still there. The runes on it were the right ones too. “How long was I out for?”

“Who can say,” Eurydice said carelessly. “Long enough to recover. Did you want some more Porridge before you go?”

Zagreus eyed her warily. “No. I think I’ll pass this time. Thank you though, Eurydice,” he was at least gracious in his refusal. Maybe he’d skip the Pom Porridge the next few times if she could so easily put a draught into it. Not like Ambrosia Delight was bad.

Eurydice came over to him. “I’m glad you look better, Zagreus,” and she hugged him. “I was worried about you when you stumbled into the kitchen. Couldn’t just let you leave like that,” she gave him a warm squeeze. No one at the House really hugged, even Nyx or Achilles so the gesture was strange at first to Zagreus. Then, cautiously, he hugged Eurydice back.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Any time, your Majesty,” she said once she’d pulled out of the embrace. “Now I think your mother’s waiting, hmm?” And she gave him a playful little shooing motion.

“Oh, right,” he’d momentarily forgotten. He didn’t know how when that was the one thing that consumed his thoughts constantly. Maybe it had been the genuine, gentle, care that Eurydice had for him. In a way it reminded him of Nyx, and of Peraphone (in her own way). Maybe it was he was so unused to genuine kindness outside of one or people residence of the entire House. “Thank you. I’ll be on my way then.”

“Go out the front door this time maybe?” she teased him.

“Ah but where’s the fun in that?” and again in an instant he was incorporeal and then he was, now on the other side of the house, down by the other dock of Eurydice’s island. He walked towards the barge on the their dock. This time his footprints only left behind an ashen footprint.

Eurydice was at the window looking down at him. “Bye!” She called as he stepped onto the other barge that’d take him... somewhere. Even with the Fates’ bauble that said where the barge should go didn’t mean it always got there right.

“Don’t be a stranger, Zagreus,” and she waved cheerfully out her window. Zagreus raised a hand in return and then had to look away to make sure the barge didn’t run into something it wasn’t supposed to. He could hear Eurydice singing behind him and he smiled.


End file.
